What was the most depressing car you’ve owned?

Steve750

RMS Regular
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2,906
Drives
750i
My first car. E39 520i manual
Dead slow, with an even slower throttle response. The 6 cyl sounded nice tho. Was cool compared to my mates 1ltr corsas, clios etc
934ADE51-BB8F-4E76-B526-389E1C755F1B.jpeg
 

Turks

RMS Regular
Messages
2,602
Drives
Passat/Impreza
I must win this thread with the 1litre 3 cylinder diesel charade I had years ago. You literally had to be going down hill to be able to put it in to 5th gear. It was the easiest run car I ever had on the plus side lol.
 

Jethro

RMS Regular
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2,115
Location
Rathfriland
I bought a MK3 Golf 1.9 one night straight after I unexpectedly sold my own car and just bought the first car that would last a me few weeks. It was dark blue, 5 door and apparently a 1.9 diesel although I dont ever recall checking under the bonnet to see what was there.
The only way I could ever achieve excitement in it was by running it on red and hoping for a chase if I ever met the customs men.
 

Coog

Admin
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47,514
Drives
GTI
Didn't own it but got a brand new Corsa C 1.0 3 cylinder as a hire car a good few years ago and called the RAC out to look at it because it was down on power and running lumpy and generally felt like crap.

"That's the way they are sir."

Deary me. 8o|
 

azzymo

RMS Regular
Messages
1,003
Location
Closer than you think
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Bikes
1.9 CDTI Vauxhall Signum Elite

I can't believe I kept an eye out for one of these for two years. Really hard to find in the Elite spec. Found one eventually that I was 90% happy with (it was silver..) and traded in a trusty 1.7 dti Astra. Within a week the wife was giving off that it was too big to park, saying that it was built on the Vectra estate chassis. Then after 5 weeks, limp mode kicked in and the thing just wouldn't drive. Once the wife was stuck in Belfast with a car going 15mph it was game over. Cue a totally demoralising and depressing tale ensuing involving RAC, the dealer, Ballyrobert Vauxhall & legal advice. I was never as glad to walk away from it and get my Astra back.
 

colin84

RMS Regular
Messages
3,899
Corsa VXR.

Some of you might know that already as I may have mentioned it before :joy:

A fella in work bought one a couple of months ago with about 80k on it. It's in the garage with the head off, turbo away getting refurbed, and new clutch & flywheel waiting to go in, along with a another gearbox. Not such a good wee car for the money after all.
 

quattro Rick

RMS Regular
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5,217
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quattro / M796
A fella in work bought one a couple of months ago with about 80k on it. It's in the garage with the head off, turbo away getting refurbed, and new clutch & flywheel waiting to go in, along with a another gearbox. Not such a good wee car for the money after all.

Possibly due to young owners not knowing how to properly warm and cool an engine and turbo?

I imagine there's a plethora of turbo cars get driven within an inch of their life then switched off immediately without any hesitation.

Clutches at 80k from a well ragged car is probably about right too.

Possible he bought it with underlying issues waiting to rear their heads?
 

colin84

RMS Regular
Messages
3,899
Possibly due to young owners not knowing how to properly warm and cool an engine and turbo?

I imagine there's a plethora of turbo cars get driven within an inch of their life then switched off immediately without any hesitation.

Clutches at 80k from a well ragged car is probably about right too.

Possible he bought it with underlying issues waiting to rear their heads?

Yeah there has been inherent faults in the car already, it's just a lot to go wrong in a short space of time.
 

Lee

RMS Regular
Messages
5,036
I remember coming up off Ballygawley roundabout in my first car which was a 1.0 Nova. I eventually had it well up in 3rd gear up the hill and went for 4th, but this made it decelerate. So I banged it back into 3rd gear and kept the foot welded down in an effort to maintain the 45 mph I had acheived. Just as I done this I passed a speed gun. This is the only time I've been glad to have a slow car.
 

Lee

RMS Regular
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5,036
I don't get how the Corsa VXR could be depressing. I have been out in one and thought it was alright. I wouldn't have one though because they can/do give major problems.
 

Nicky

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24,534
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HiluxSurf
I don't get how the Corsa VXR could be depressing. I have been out in one and thought it was alright. I wouldn't have one though because they can/do give major problems.

If it’s always giving trouble, surely that would be depressing for the owner, regardless of how good it can be on occasion...?
 

Lee

RMS Regular
Messages
5,036
If it’s always giving trouble, surely that would be depressing for the owner, regardless of how good it can be on occasion...?

Fair enough aye. I was judging on how it is to drive.
 

Rover Repair

RMS Regular
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14,005
Location
Antrim
Drives
Rover's!
Mk4 golf estate.

Had bought 2nd hand at 3 years old. Had taken out a loan to pay for it. Got laid off. Car let go. Was clocked. Turbo, injectors, egr etc, all before all this was well known. Took 2nd loan to get it all fixed. Engine blew up shortly after. Wasn't mapped bog standard 130. Put new engine in. Sold for less than £1500 leaving me paying back multiple loans for 11 years at affordable rate.

Bought £100 vw 1.0 polo. Lasted 2 years. Great car.

Simple cars ftw. Yes rovers break but **** me even my wife can do a timing belt on a k series.
 

Alan_B

RMS Regular
Messages
6,650
Location
My house
Drives
Whatever
E90 320d SE. With Beige leather which just makes me want to be sick when I get in it. However, it's done 6 months service and not let me down yet and it's not exactly a fresh example lol.

It's going up the road for another s60 d5.
 

bill

Banned
Messages
1,045
MG ZR 1.4 if you went around a corner fast the oil light came on and car cut out.
I had a bucket in the boot for the trim and screws that fell of.
 
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